Takayuki Kobayashi has retired as senior manager of substation engineering at TEPCO Power Grid Inc. He is a member of CIGRÉ and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. He joined Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc. in 1984 and has worked to develop transformers, gas circuit breakers and gas-insulated switchgear applied in 500-kV substations. Kobayashi also is engaged in the development of diagnosis techniques for substation equipment and is a leader in substation development and maintenance in Japan.